Wow this is some serious digging and integrating and writing. This struck me "I have to wonder what Namaypoke made of this document when he signed with his X mark." And can't wait to learn what is revealed in the docs Roy Jones sent.
It is a lot to take in. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to wade through all this information--and I'm glad you have helpers with old papers. It's important to see how squatters made their claims seemingly legal since it happened all over the country. I also noted that a jail was one of the early buildings and wondered who ended up in that jail. I can imagine there were big struggles over land rights. Thanks for your deep research into the history of this part of the world.
Good question about the jail. I have to do more research into that. I suspect there was more call for a jail due to public drunkenness than over land claims, though. Pool halls, bliind pigs and saloons are something I've been gathering facts about in Warroad. (A blind pig is a bootleg operation.)
Jill, you are really doing some great work here, along with some heavy lifting. It’s an important part of our history. You’re right, it’s complicated. I think it is, as you mentioned, comparable to the redlining that took place in Minneapolis. Thank you for sorting this out for us.
I'm following where the facts lead me. And new facts raise new questions. I'm still sorting it out and am using my magnifying glass to make sense of it all.
As I read this I wondered how many other land deals were made across this nation; and how you could write your books to help readers understand that this isn’t just about a remote section way up north, this is the story of our nation.
I think of the work done to research the racial covenants on deeds in Minneapolis (and now other cities) and maybe it’s time to do the research on the deeds of homesteads (for which we all get a homestead tax exemption if we live on the land we “own”)
I haven’t read “Red Earth, White Earth,”however when he traveled to Duluth for his book signing of “Power and Light,” he personally told me a little bit of his family’s story and how there was disagreement within the family on how to handle what they had discovered about the true ownership of the the family farm.
“Red Earth, White Earth” is fictionalize, and I don’t know how true it is to his family’s story.
And I don’t know if I’m on a tangent here, but Laura Ingall’s father tried to homestead on land reserved for Indians.
I homesteader sounds romantic, but squatter not so much.
I’ll have to check out Will Weaver’s novels. And now I want to go reread those passages about Pa and passing into Indian territory again. Thanks for the reminder as it speaks to our popular perceptions of what frontier life cultural values. Her annotated memoir gives more of the factual details regarding Pa Ingalls homesteading efforts. I grew up with romantic ideas of Laura riding in a covered wagon covered by a handmade quilt with the dog trailing behind obediently as they crossed the prairie. The historical reality does not match the stereotypes created from fiction.
The details of this are suddenly striking my fiction writer brain as the details of a gripping mini-series. Obviously the goal is to tell the facts here, what really happened, but l can imagine this as an important, affecting series l would want to watch, that could tell that story. I can't get that detail of York being run over by "a team of horses pulling a wagon full of logs" out of my head. Yes, l know I'm fictionalizing here, but how does a thing like that happen? I'm picturing long-unsettled scores between white men fighting over land that wasn't theirs to begin with.
Kevin Costner's HORIZON was an attempt. I watched it twice, but the reviewers panned it. But I'm flattered you find the story cinematic. I have a photograph of my grandfather as a young boy on the top of a wagon full of logs with a team of horses in front. I have no doubt that if the team bolted the enormous logs would have crushed anyone. In the archives I can't help but gasp at the causes of death. Horrific.
Great catch on the 1/2 changed to 1/4! The convoluted process was all designed to be part of the colonization and encroachment. I've just started reading "Red Nation: A History of the Meskawki Settlement" by Eric Zimmer. It's about a Native American community in Iowa (the only "reservation" in the state) that fared much better than that community near Mankato in southern Minnesota.
Another book to add to my reading list! Thanks, George.
I appreciate your observation that the confusing process served a purpose. Obfuscating language has a long history in American politics -- and academia -- of asserting authority.
My mother lived in McLaughlin, SD, named after the same James McLaughlin, the Indian Agent, you wrote about in this post. While I lived there, I met a mixed race man there who carried the McLaughlin surname. He was a direct descendant, and acted proud that his name was the same as the town’s. He struggled with alcoholism and I don’t know if he realized who or what his great-grandfather had done.
This is extremely challenging to follow if you are unfamiliar with the territory being described. Of course, I always desire to know what is next-to-impossible to know and that is about the value and characters of people in all of these transactions. For example, if you were an individual who accepted or endorsed manifest destiny, it seems to me the outcomes were going to favor those of greater stature and wealth in the communities. Certainly didn't always make it right.
I can hardly comprehend what it is I am reading in the documents and seeing on the map and it has taken me several weeks to sort this out. Discerning motives of these individuals is next-to-impossible, though the dominant cultural values of this time and place may become more apparent in what I have found in some of the other new documents. I also think it is interesting to note Holmes arrived with capital to invest in land and industry and his investments paid off, but York and many others who arrived hoping to create capital through hard work did not see the same return on their investment. Land speculators profited from sales to white settlers. Profit motive. Follow the money. And I'm working on that with these real estate deals.
Wow this is some serious digging and integrating and writing. This struck me "I have to wonder what Namaypoke made of this document when he signed with his X mark." And can't wait to learn what is revealed in the docs Roy Jones sent.
Thanks for your enthusiasm.
It is a lot to take in. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to wade through all this information--and I'm glad you have helpers with old papers. It's important to see how squatters made their claims seemingly legal since it happened all over the country. I also noted that a jail was one of the early buildings and wondered who ended up in that jail. I can imagine there were big struggles over land rights. Thanks for your deep research into the history of this part of the world.
Good question about the jail. I have to do more research into that. I suspect there was more call for a jail due to public drunkenness than over land claims, though. Pool halls, bliind pigs and saloons are something I've been gathering facts about in Warroad. (A blind pig is a bootleg operation.)
Jill, you are really doing some great work here, along with some heavy lifting. It’s an important part of our history. You’re right, it’s complicated. I think it is, as you mentioned, comparable to the redlining that took place in Minneapolis. Thank you for sorting this out for us.
I'm following where the facts lead me. And new facts raise new questions. I'm still sorting it out and am using my magnifying glass to make sense of it all.
As I read this I wondered how many other land deals were made across this nation; and how you could write your books to help readers understand that this isn’t just about a remote section way up north, this is the story of our nation.
I think of the work done to research the racial covenants on deeds in Minneapolis (and now other cities) and maybe it’s time to do the research on the deeds of homesteads (for which we all get a homestead tax exemption if we live on the land we “own”)
Are you familiar with author Will Weaver’s story of his family’s Minnesota history homestead?
I confess I know about it but I have not yet read it. Do you recommend it?
I haven’t read “Red Earth, White Earth,”however when he traveled to Duluth for his book signing of “Power and Light,” he personally told me a little bit of his family’s story and how there was disagreement within the family on how to handle what they had discovered about the true ownership of the the family farm.
“Red Earth, White Earth” is fictionalize, and I don’t know how true it is to his family’s story.
And I don’t know if I’m on a tangent here, but Laura Ingall’s father tried to homestead on land reserved for Indians.
I homesteader sounds romantic, but squatter not so much.
I’ll have to check out Will Weaver’s novels. And now I want to go reread those passages about Pa and passing into Indian territory again. Thanks for the reminder as it speaks to our popular perceptions of what frontier life cultural values. Her annotated memoir gives more of the factual details regarding Pa Ingalls homesteading efforts. I grew up with romantic ideas of Laura riding in a covered wagon covered by a handmade quilt with the dog trailing behind obediently as they crossed the prairie. The historical reality does not match the stereotypes created from fiction.
Incredible research and information you have here, Jill. It's been a very interesting story to follow each week. Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad you're along for this adventure. I'm so happy to hear of your ongoing interest.
The details of this are suddenly striking my fiction writer brain as the details of a gripping mini-series. Obviously the goal is to tell the facts here, what really happened, but l can imagine this as an important, affecting series l would want to watch, that could tell that story. I can't get that detail of York being run over by "a team of horses pulling a wagon full of logs" out of my head. Yes, l know I'm fictionalizing here, but how does a thing like that happen? I'm picturing long-unsettled scores between white men fighting over land that wasn't theirs to begin with.
Kevin Costner's HORIZON was an attempt. I watched it twice, but the reviewers panned it. But I'm flattered you find the story cinematic. I have a photograph of my grandfather as a young boy on the top of a wagon full of logs with a team of horses in front. I have no doubt that if the team bolted the enormous logs would have crushed anyone. In the archives I can't help but gasp at the causes of death. Horrific.
Great catch on the 1/2 changed to 1/4! The convoluted process was all designed to be part of the colonization and encroachment. I've just started reading "Red Nation: A History of the Meskawki Settlement" by Eric Zimmer. It's about a Native American community in Iowa (the only "reservation" in the state) that fared much better than that community near Mankato in southern Minnesota.
Another book to add to my reading list! Thanks, George.
I appreciate your observation that the confusing process served a purpose. Obfuscating language has a long history in American politics -- and academia -- of asserting authority.
My mother lived in McLaughlin, SD, named after the same James McLaughlin, the Indian Agent, you wrote about in this post. While I lived there, I met a mixed race man there who carried the McLaughlin surname. He was a direct descendant, and acted proud that his name was the same as the town’s. He struggled with alcoholism and I don’t know if he realized who or what his great-grandfather had done.
Your mother worked as a public nurse there, right? Were you working as a journalist when you lived there?
My mom was a public health nurse. I didn’t really work when I lived there. I lived with my mom and took care of my little girl.
This is extremely challenging to follow if you are unfamiliar with the territory being described. Of course, I always desire to know what is next-to-impossible to know and that is about the value and characters of people in all of these transactions. For example, if you were an individual who accepted or endorsed manifest destiny, it seems to me the outcomes were going to favor those of greater stature and wealth in the communities. Certainly didn't always make it right.
I can hardly comprehend what it is I am reading in the documents and seeing on the map and it has taken me several weeks to sort this out. Discerning motives of these individuals is next-to-impossible, though the dominant cultural values of this time and place may become more apparent in what I have found in some of the other new documents. I also think it is interesting to note Holmes arrived with capital to invest in land and industry and his investments paid off, but York and many others who arrived hoping to create capital through hard work did not see the same return on their investment. Land speculators profited from sales to white settlers. Profit motive. Follow the money. And I'm working on that with these real estate deals.